Microsoft released Power BI exam 70-778 (Analyzing and Visualizing Data with Microsoft Power BI) around July 2017 as a beta exam and in January 2018 the exam was removed from beta.
This week, I decided to do the exam and it was a great experience as I have been working with Power BI since it was in Preview. Can’t say the exam was easy, but if you have been working with Power BI and study for a couple of days, you will definitely pass it. If you are looking for a free training, please check this post: Free Power BI Training and Books
In this exam, you will have to answer 45 questions and your score needs to be 700 or more. In my exam, I had questions related to the following areas (I can’t remember 100%):
- 4 related to DAX (Calculated, sameperiodlastyear, sum, parallelperiod, filter..);
- 3 related to M Query (study Text functions);
- 6 related to Data Model (Data Types, Relationship – Both or Single Direction, Many to One, One to Many, Many to Many)
- 3 related to Transformations (Split, Merge, Append..)
- 4 related to visuals (Gauge, stacked bar chart..)
- 4 related to Power BI Admin & Office 365 Admin
- 2 related to Power BI Embedded
- 4 related to security (RLS, User Access…);
- 2 related to Q&A;
- 2 related to Gateway;
- 4 related to data sources (Load csv files, refresh..);
- 1 related to Power BI Premium;
- 2 related to Publish (to web);
This exam is broken down into three areas:
- Consume and Transform Data By Using Power BI Desktop (20-25%)
- Model and Visualize Data (45-50%)
- Configure Dashboards in the Power BI Service (25-30%)
My recommendation is to go through the Power BI documentation below:
Consume and Transform Data By Using Power BI Desktop (20-25%)
- Connect to data sources: Connect to databases, files, folders; import from Excel; connect to SQL Azure, Big Data, SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS), and Power Query;
Data sources in Power BI Desktop Connect to data in Power BI Desktop Connect to datasets in the Power BI service Data types in Power BI Desktop Analysis Services multidimensional data in Power BI Desktop Analysis Services tabular data in Power BI Desktop Use DirectQuery in Power BI Desktop Power BI and DirectQuery Data sources supported by DirectQuery Use OneDrive for Business links in Power BI Desktop Power BI data source prerequisites Power BI Desktop privacy levels Get data from files Get data from Excel workbook files Get data from Power BI Desktop files Get data from comma separated value (.csv) files Real-time streaming in Power BI (Preview) Publish to Power BI from Excel 2016 Import Excel workbooks into Power BI Desktop Connect to CSV files in Power BI Desktop Connect to Excel in Power BI Desktop Publisher for Excel Azure SQL Data Warehouse with DirectQuery Azure SQL Database with DirectQuery Spark on HDInsight with DirectQuery SQL Server Analysis Services live data in Power BI Azure and Power BI Data sources for Power BI Data refresh in Power BI Configure scheduled refresh Refresh a dataset created from a Power BI Desktop file - local Refresh a dataset created from a Power BI Desktop file - cloud Refresh a dataset created from an Excel workbook - local Refresh a dataset created from an Excel workbook - cloud Refresh a dataset created from a comma separated value (.csv) file on OneDrive Troubleshooting refresh scenarios
- Perform transformations: Design and implement basic and advanced transformations, apply business rules, change data format to support visualization
Shape and combine data in Power BI Desktop Common query tasks in Power BI Desktop Combine binaries Data view in Power BI Desktop DAX basics in Power BI Desktop Data categorization in Power BI Desktop Report view in Power BI Desktop Analytics pane in Power BI Desktop Using insights in Power BI Desktop Use a relative date slicer and filter Add a column from an example Add a custom column Customizing tooltips in Power BI Desktop Conditional table formatting in Power BI Desktop Sort by column in Power BI Desktop
- Cleanse data: Manage incomplete data, meet data quality requirements
Text functions Clean and transform your data with the Query Editor More advanced data sources and transformation Cleaning irregularly formatted data
Model and Visualize Data (45-50%)
- Create and optimize data models: Manage data relationships, optimize models for reporting, manually enter data, Use Power Query
Relationship view in Power BI Desktop Create and manage relationships in Power BI Desktop Assume referential integrity setting in Power BI Desktop Bidirectional cross-filtering in Power BI Desktop (Preview)
- Create calculated columns, tables, and measures: Create DAX queries for calculated columns, tables, and measures
Calculated columns in Power BI Desktop Calculated tables in Power BI Desktop Measures in Power BI Desktop Enter data directly into Power BI Desktop
- Create performance KPIs: Calculate the actual, calculate the target, calculate actual to target
Import and display KPIs (Preview) KPI Visuals
- Create hierarchies: Use date hierarchies, use business hierarchies, resolve hierarchy issues
Use inline hierarchy labels in Power BI Desktop (Preview) Visual hierarchies and drill-down Explore your time-based data
- Create and format interactive visualizations: Select a visualization type, configure page layout and formatting, setup visual relationships, configure duplicate pages, handle categories that have no data, setup default summaries and categories, position, align, and sort visuals, enable and integrate R visuals, format calculated measures
Visualizations in Power BI Visualization types in Power BI Visualization best practices Export data from a visualization Change the type of visualization in a Power BI report Getting started with color formatting and axis properties Tips and tricks for color formatting in Power BI Change how a chart is sorted in a Power BI report Drill down in a visualization in Power BI Hyperlinks in tables Add a hyperlink to a Text Box in a Power BI report Histograms Tips and tricks for Power BI map visualizations Text boxes in Power BI reports Create advanced analytics and visualizations using R scripts in Power BI Use Shape Maps in Power BI Desktop (Preview) Ribbon charts Use the new matrix visual Create Power BI visuals using R Use R-powered custom visuals Use gridlines and snap-to-grid High density line sampling High density scatter charts Use grouping and binning Create responsive visuals in Power BI Use the numeric range slicer Create a responsive slicer you can resize Create custom Power BI answer cards for Cortana Custom visualizations in Power BI
- Manage custom reporting solutions: Use Power BI API, use Microsoft Power BI Embedded, enable developers to create and edit dashboards through custom applications, enable developers to embed dashboards in applications, authenticate a Power BI web application, enable developers to create custom visuals
Embedding with Power BI How to embed your content How to migrate Power BI Embedded Integrate a dashboard into an app (user owns data) Integrate a Power BI tile into an app (user owns data) Integrate a Power BI report into an app (user owns data) Integrate a content into your application (app owns data) Embed custom layouts into an app Register an application Authenticate to Power BI service Power BI permissions Embedding Q&A Power BI Embedded migration tool Migration code snippets Push data into a dashboard Register an app with Azure AD Get an authentication access token Create a dataset Get a dataset to add rows Add rows to a table Complete code listing Publish from Power BI Desktop
Configure Dashboards in the Power BI Service (25-30%)
- Configure a dashboard: Connect to the Power BI service, publish connections to services by using SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS), publish visualizations including data; Configure a dashboard, add text and images, filter dashboards, configure dashboard settings, customize the URL and title, enable natural language queries
Introduction to Cortana for Power BI Enable Cortana for Power BI Get started with Power BI Q&A Q&A in Power BI Desktop Q&A in Power BI Use Q&A to create visualizations and build reports Create featured questions for Power BI Q&A Using Q&A with Power BI Gateway — Enterprise data (Preview) Make your data work well with Q&A in Power BI Pin a tile to a Power BI dashboard from the Q&A question box Dashboard data classification Accessibility in Power BI reports Dashboards in Power BI Create a dashboard from a report Create a copy of a dashboard Dashboard tiles in Power BI Pin a tile to a Power BI dashboard from a report Pin a tile from one dashboard to another dashboard Pin a tile to a Power BI dashboard from Excel Power BI publisher for Excel Pin an entire report page to a Power BI dashboard Shared with me Usage metrics for dashboards Data alerts in Power BI service Power BI Unified Notification Center Add an image, text box, video, or web code to your dashboard Edit a tile — resize, move, rename, pin, delete, add hyperlink Tips for designing a great Power BI dashboard Featured dashboards in Power BI Create a phone view of a dashboard Add an image to a dashboard
- Publish dashboards: Publish to web, publish to Microsoft SharePoint, publish to SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)
Publish from Power BI to the web Embed report in SharePoint Online User handbook overview for Power BI Report Server Quickstart: Create a Power BI report for Power BI Report Server
- Configure security for dashboards: Create a security group by using the Admin Portal, share dashboard with users or security groups, integrate with Microsoft OneDrive for Business, configure row-level Security, configure gateways
Get started with gateways Guidance for deploying a data gateway On-premises data gateway On-premises data gateway - in-depth High availability clusters for on-premises data gateway On-premises data gateway (personal mode) Use Kerberos for single sign-on (SSO) Configuring proxy settings Manage your enterprise data source - Analysis Services Manage your enterprise data source - SQL Manage your data source - Oracle Manage your enterprise data source - import/scheduled refresh Administering Power BI in your organization Power BI (free) in your organization Purchasing Power BI Pro Power BI governance and deployment approaches Power BI security Signing up for Power BI with a new Office 365 Trial Administration role in Office 365 Admin portal Row-level security with Power BI Power BI for Office 365 is transitioned to Power BI Row-level security Row-level security (RLS) Disable privacy settings Power BI Free vs Pro Power BI Premium - what is it?
- Configure organizational content packs and apps: Create a content pack, publish a content pack, edit a content pack, package dashboards and reports, configure app workspace
How should I collaborate and share dashboards and reports? Install and use apps, with dashboards and reports Create and distribute apps with dashboards and reports Organizational content packs: Introduction Create and publish an organizational content pack (tutorial) Share dashboards and reports Share a filtered report Connect to files on your group's OneDrive for Business Collaborate in your Power BI group workspace Manage your group in Power BI and Office 365 Share a dashboard that links to an Excel workbook on OneDrive for Business Publish to PowerPoint
Hope it helps you!
Thanks,
Sergio
Sergio and Sabrina Zenatti 
How is the markings system like (i.e. marks/question, etc.)? What is the cut-off for passing?
Hi Sergio,
I do not have working experience on PowerBI, but I want to do the certification, will it be possible to clear the exam by studying the reference materials.
Thanks,
Ashish
Great list. Is the test open book or in a locked down environment?
Hi Sergio
This is by far most extensive detailed guide to prepare for the exam, Thanks a lot , could you please help with exam questions style , was it project/task based like we see in MOS expert excel or straight forward multiple choice question answer or scenario based questionnaire?
Thanks in advance 🙂
Hi Rohit, Thanks for your message. It is a mix of questions style with scenarios. I had 2 scenarios on my exam with around 4 questions each scenario. The question answers was multiple choice, drag and drop and to add in the correct order.
Good luck.
What about content packs, you listed them in study materials but in recent posts they are marked as deprecated. How up to date is exam, for example sharing with free users, or on premise Report Server…
Hi Sergio, thanks for this great post! Someone on the net is offering a Power BI test quiz: https://www.criticalpathtraining.com/pop-quiz-details/ Would you say these questions are representative of the questions being asked at the exam? Thanks in advance – J. Verstrynge
Hi Jerome, my apologies, but I can’t comment on that, as I will breach the exam T&C.
Good luck on your studies.
Well done Sergio. Can you please provide explicit information about Exam 70-779 Data Analysis and Visualization with Excel the same way you did for power BI.
Regards,
Peter Adeniran
Hi Peter, Thanks for your comment. I will publish it by end of next week.
Regards,
Sergio
Thanks for this wonderful post! I will use this for preparation of the exam and builidng up skill!!
Thank you for this, Sergio! Could you point me to where has it been mentioned that the 70-778 is no longer in beta? Microsoft still lists it as beta on their website.
Hi Shilp,
Usually when you do a beta exam, you don’t receive the score immediately. You will receive the score within 2-3 weeks after the exam becomes available worldwide. Last week, when I did the exam I received the score immediately, like all exams. You are right, on Microsoft website still showing as a beta and I believe they will fix it in the following days/weeks.
You can read more about beta exams at: https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/learning/certification-exams.aspx
Thanks,
Sergio
Makes sense, thanks!